Emotion dysregulation and eating disorder symptoms: A network analysis in college students with subclinical eating disorders.

Although emotion dysregulation is a major factor in the onset and maintenance of eating disorders (EDs), it is unclear how certain components connect to specific ED symptoms, particularly in individuals with subclinical illnesses. This study by Lian et al. (2025) examined those relationships in a sample of college students with subclinical EDs using network analysis. Researchers surveyed 282 college students who met the criteria for subclinical eating disorders (EDE-Q ≥ 1.27). Participants completed measures assessing eating disorder symptoms and difficulties in emotion regulation. A network analysis was used to explore how various ED symptoms and emotion dysregulation dimensions are interconnected. The analysis found that obsessive thoughts about food and eating were the most central features in the symptom network. Lack of emotional clarity and non-acceptance of feelings, two aspects of emotion dysregulation, were important links between emotional challenges and symptoms of eating disorders. Other emotion regulation challenges showed specific associations: difficulty controlling impulses was linked to restrictive eating, while problems with goal-directed behavior were associated with fewer instances of binge eating and compensatory behaviors. The inability to access effective emotion regulation strategies was tied to ED symptoms involving emotional distress. These results suggest that targeting emotion recognition and acceptance may help in addressing subclinical eating disorder symptoms. The study’s cross-sectional methodology and reliance on self-reported data restrict findings, even though the network technique offers a fresh viewpoint on early ED tendencies. The authors recommend conducting further longitudinal studies to validate these results and guide intervention tactics. [NPID: Subclinical eating disorders, emotion dysregulation, network analysis, college students] 

Year: 2025

Reference: Lian, Y., Liu, S., Zhang, D., Qiao, D., Zhang, Z., Mi, G., Liu, Z., & Wu, X. (2025). Emotion dysregulation and eating disorder symptoms: a network analysis in college students with subclinical eating disorders. Journal of Eating Disorders, 13(1), 161. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40337-025-01325-8

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